Abstract

In "Multicast Virtual Private Networks" (MVPNs), customer multicast
flows are carried in "tunnels" through a service provider's network.
The base specifications for MVPN define BGP multicast VPN
"auto-discovery" routes", and specify how to use an auto-discovery
route to advertise the fact that an individual customer multicast
flow is being carried in a particular tunnel. However, those
specifications do not provide a way to specify, in a single such
route, that multiple customer flows are being carried in a single
tunnel. Those specifications also do not provide a way to advertise
that a particular tunnel is to be used by default to carry all
customer flows, except in the case where that tunnel is joined by all
the provider edge routers of the MVPN. This document eliminates
these restrictions by specifying the use of "wildcard" elements in
the customer flow identifiers. With wildcard elements, a single
auto-discovery route can refer to multiple customer flows, or even to
all customer flows.